Allstate wins again - for now

The 1st District Court of Appeal again rejected Florida's attempt to immediately stop 10 Allstate Insurance Corp. companies from writing new policies in Florida. But in its ruling late Wednesday, the court also set the stage for what could be a quick resolution to the legal battle.

The court ruled that Florida regulators and Allstate have 40 days to submit paperwork supporting their positions. The court had initially stopped the state’s suspension of Allstate on Jan. 18, but Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty appealed that decision last week.

Wednesday’s decision allows Allstate’s 1,100 agents in Florida to keep writing new policies. The ban would have applied to all types of insurance sold by Allstate, but would not affect existing Allstate policies.

Regulators want to know why Allstate, the largest publicly traded U.S. home and auto insurer, has not complied with legislation passed last year that directs insurance companies to lower their homeowner rates. Allstate had asked to raise its homeowner rates an average of 42 percent statewide, a request that was denied in November.

Allstate has about 300,000 homeowners policies in Florida, about half the number it had four years ago.

McCarty said Thursday he remains committed to "get to the bottom of this issue and to ensure that Allstate is held accountable to the law.”

Tom Zucco, Times staff writer

Comments

[Scott]

Gee....they won again. is that any surprise that big business takes the cake over the little guy?

[Kim]

Don't buy insurance from Allstate. If we can't have a ban, lets have a boycott

[John]

They will never get my business again

[neil]

So even the judges are in the pocket of the insurance companies. And the american public thinks private companies can do a better job of national health care than the government??? Idiots! The only thing the insurance companies care about is their own pocket. National health care is the only way to go. The rest of the civilized world has already discovered this...of course, you could argue that america is far from civilized...at times it seems it is populated only with ignorant rednecks who believe whatever pablum w and company feed them as long as it is cloaked in homophobic and racist garb.

[John]

I hope the Allstate execs are reading these posts. As for me, I just cancelled my Allstate homeowner's policy along with 4 auto policies. I went with a smaller, lesser know company that offered LOWER rates for the exact same coverage. By all means boycott Allstate and send them a message the people of Florida are tired of being taken advantage of!!!

[Sam]

Is anyone surprised here? Allstate has probably some of the best Legal consultants in the country.

[brad]

Its not a matter of Allstate beating the little guy. Its a matter of Allstate beating the government. Now, among those two, who is the little guy?

[melissa]

Shady at best!!! It's all about $$$ it's up to us to not open up policies with them! If they lose business in Fla.they lose money!

They abviously paid someone off... gee go figure!